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Lea Valley Scout District (Luton)
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Luton's Mayor Selects Scouting Stalwart For Local Hero Award

By Peter Sutherst  

Mrs Cynth Sutherst , a Scouter in Luton's Someries District, has been presented with a local hero award by Luton's mayor Cllr Julian Wates at a town hall ceremony. She was one of 26 winners of the citizenship awards given in recognition of outstanding services to youth over 40 years. The mayor said, "This is the positive side of Luton. The awards recognise the good work done every day with extraordinary drive and passion by people who are the unsung heroes of our society."

Mrs Cynth Sutherst joined the Scout movement as a leader in 1968 shortly before her two sons became Cub Scouts. Her enthusiastic support for the Scout Movement has helped Scouts to thrive in her area of the town and she encouraged others to join her in an adult recruitment campaign that netted over 120 potential leaders. She is now an honorary Scouter in Luton's Someries District.

 

Over the years she has introduced thousands of Luton children and their parents before them to the fun of Scouting. But she has another claim to fame. For almost 25 years as manager of Luton's Scout Shop she has provided Scout uniform to not one but two generations of Scouts. She is now busy kitting out  Luton's Scout population with special scarves, badges and woggles ready to celebrate the centenary of the Scout movement later this year. Her voluntary efforts have netted well over £50,000 for Scout funds in the town.

 

And her commitment to Luton's young people does not end there. She also teaches music part time at Putteridge Infant School, a job she started in 1970 after her sons reached school age. Many of the youngsters she teaches have parents who were in her earlier classes and can still sing the songs she taught them.

 

Countless Luton children and their parents owe their love of music and know the fun of Scouting because of the talents of Mrs Sutherst. And the Scout movement in the town is thousands of pounds better off because of her regular voluntary efforts.

 

County camp PR Officer Mark Webb was asked by the Mayor's office, just before the deadline date at the end of December, to recommend a member of the Scout movement for the citizenship award. He nominated Cynth whose family filled in most of the details in his submission.